A fairly ordinary girl with an extraordinary love of life and words. I really can’t shut my brain off to what is wonderful and wonderous all around me. Friendly (most of the time), except at four in the morning when I wake up (and even then I’m generally affable), intensely curious, and trying to find a home for my YA novel. Any questions or just want to say ‘hi’ go ahead and drop me a note at heatherzundel [at] gmail [dot] com. I’d love hearing from you.

Followers

Current Theme Song (aka what's playing on my ipod right now) Day of the River by Joe Hisaishi [Spirited Away soundtrack].

You guys! You guys! You have to watch this! Not only because it is an extremely fun get-to-know-you author video, but you get to see author research IN ACTION. And you must also watch because, well, she picked my idea!

If you don't know them yet (and you totally should), the Friday the Thirteeners are group of YA authors debuting next year. And to go with that, they are posting author introduction videos by playing Truth or Dare. There are so many good videos, and Megan picked my dare!

I'm not telling you what she does. All I will say is - she paid to do it. And it looks pretty freaking awesome, if I do say so myself. Watch and get introduced to a new author before she's famous. Have a fantastic weekend, everyone!

Current Theme Song (aka what's playing on my ipod right now): Annie by Safetysuit.

You guys, I'm torn. Usually I am ecstatically proud of the quite frankly jaw-dropping covers designed for so many books published here. The UK covers are great, but never seem to quite catch my eye in the same way. But now I'm at a quandry.

There are two books where I am honest to goodness torn. I've not read either yet (since they're not out), so I only have the covers to entice me. Yeah, anyone who said "don't judge a book by its cover" lied big time.

Enter Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas. It is about a female assassin, which is a major woot! in my book. She is pulled out of a salt mine prison by the prince's captain of the guard offering her freedom if she wins an upcoming contest choosing the next royal assassin. A mix of Poison Study and Graceling adding in a fight for her life? Um, sold?

So here are the two covers.

They each have their own, distinct appeal. But I am having a few problems with the US cover. First of all, the hair.

Yes, yes, I know she is moved to the palace (which you can see in the background and is one of the highlights for this cover), and she has to learn courtly ways and such. But the perfectly coiffed hair? The flawless skin? This girl was in the salt mines for a year, where most people there don't survive past a month, apparently. I can't believe she would come out looking like that, even with a mountain of mudbath treatments. Also, her eyes look too... serene. Perhaps a bit mysterious. Which I suppose could lend to the "underestimating" factor, but I just don't get the vibe that this girl could kill me. Now, the UK cover on the other hand seems to fit in for an assassin. I mean, by page three in the book it is describing her shoving a pickaxe into one of her old taskmaster's guts and feeling the sticky blood run down her hands. *glances up to US picture* I'm just not seeing it. It's just not coming across that she's a hardened assassin to me, the "best" in her kingdom.

Now onto some other details a first glance might have missed.

Now I like this detail. Here is the first hint that she is a fighter. Some have commented on the strange sizing of the dagger, but I like that they've included a throwing knife (it has to be properly weighted so it will fly end over end). That is a really nice touch, and feels realistic for an assassin to me. And call me silly, but I love that this girl has got a bicep. It could be even bigger to me, but I'm glad they didn't just pick a dainty waif and expect me to believe she could take down full grown men.

Also, something I almost completely missed. She is clenching her fist, I suppose to show her defiance/determination? It's a pretty tight grip (also emphasizing her arm muscles) but the angle is all wrong if she is looking for a fight. And then there is her serene expression again to contend with.

Now there are still plenty of things wrong with the UK cover, in my opinion. Her clothing choice especially seems to lend to a much more urban fantasy feel rather than an alternate world fantasy, but I do love she has wrist, knee, and leg guards. Her shredded shirt and overly-tight clothes do nothing for me. An assassin should have free movement and that leather-looking material looks really restrictive. A very nice touch with the bare feet though (almost didn't catch that one either). I'm guessing that is to emphasize her silent assassin skills (though with the background looking like ice, I can't help but think how cold her feet are!). Hair seems too long to belong to an assassin, but it does look impressing flowing behind her as she approaches looking very much like she's going to eviscerate you.

So yes - torn. Do I wait happily for my little indie bookstore to get the US version in? Or do I order the UK version from the book depository? I dissected this one so much, I'll have to hold off comparisons with the other book for another time. :)

Oh, and so you know I wasn't lying about the pickaxe on page three, here is a preview of the book. ^_^

Current Theme Song (aka what's playing on my ipod right now): Iris by Goo Goo Dolls.

The
idea of Monday's Muse is to introduce you to unknown, forgotten, or
overlooked fiction that has been lost from regular radar. I am
WriterGirl. I am in the business of saving lives, one book at a time.

What
I do is go to one of several places, narrow it down to a YA field and
type in a random word, any word that comes to mind. I then take a
sampling of some I have never heard of before, or only vaguely heard of
(and hopefully you as well). No infringement is intended for any
description I take for the books. It's purely for promotional reasons. I
will try and cover as many genres as possible that are fitting for the
random word. Simple but it really uncovers some incredible gems. I will
be doing this every other Monday. If there are any words you want to
prompt me with, go ahead and fire away.

Today's random word:Blind Characters.

[This one is a work in progress. Do you know of any novels where a blind person is the main character?]

Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes by Jonathan Auxier.

Debut author Auxier spins a lively, magical adventure led by 10-year-old
PeterNimble, a blind orphan and "the greatest thief who ever lived."
Peter has always had to fend for himself, and after five grueling years
of working for a heartless beggarmonger and perfecting his burgling
skills, he uncovers a box filled with three sets of stone eyes: gold,
onyx, and emerald. The first set transports him to a hidden island where
the psychic Professor Cake awaits. The professor provides Peter with a
companion (Sir Tode, a half-cat, half-horse knight) and a mission: to
solve a riddle and save the Vanished Kingdom from an evil king. Peter
and Sir Tode set sail unarmed, aside from their kind natures, faith that
the eyes will guide them, and Peter's skill at picking locks ("He
considered every lock to be a personal challenge. By definition, locks
are designed to tell you what you can't do"). At times the omniscient
narrator can feel overly precious, but the fast-paced, episodic story,
accompanied by Auxier's occasional pen-and-ink drawings, is
inventive, unpredictable, and—like its hero—nimble. --Publishers Weekly, (vol 258, issue 27).

Gifts by Ursula Le Guin.

When a young man in the Uplands blinds himself rather than use his gift
of "unmaking"--a violent talent shared by members of his family--he
upsets the precarious balance of power among rival, feuding families,
each of which has a strange and deadly talent of its own.

Following Christopher Creed by Carol Plum-Ucci.

Legally-blind college reporter Mike Mavic hopes to get a story about a
body found in Steepleton, believed to be that of long-missing teeChristopher Creed, but finds something odd about the town, including JustinCreed'sobsessive drive to learn what really happened to his older brother. (Sequel to The Body of Christopher Creed).

Girl, Stolen by April Henry.

Bad: 16-year-old Cheyenne is sick with pneumonia. Badder: while her
mother runs into the pharmacy, a young man steals the car, not realizing
that Cheyenne is in the backseat. Worst: getting out of this situation
is going to be even harder than expected, because Cheyenne is blind.
This constant one-upping of the threat level is what gives Henry’s
thriller its hurtling, downhill velocity. And, as it turns out,
Cheyenne’s father is rich, which turns the accidental kidnapping into a
ransom situation. But the plot is actually of secondary concern; the
relationship between Cheyenne and the only kidnapper who is kind to her,
a teen named Griffin, constitutes the novel’s central push and pull. Is
there a genuine understanding and affection brewing between these two
damaged teens? Or is this a case of Stockholm syndrome? Henry is
particularly deft at portraying the vacillating level of trust between
the two, and her research on living with blindness pays dividends in
authenticity. Fairly predictable, but thoroughly exciting. -- Kraus,
Daniel, Booklist (vol 107, number 2, p64).

Miss Spitfire: Reaching Helen Keller by Sarah Elizabeth Miller.

Filled with the tension, animosity, and determination that Annie
Sullivan felt upon meeting Helen Keller, this novel portrays that most
important month in their relationship, March 1887. The story is told
through Annie's voice, and it begins as she travels by train from Boston
to Tuscumbia, AL. The child she has been hired to teach is both deaf
and blind, and there is only one previous case study that suggests that
the six-year-old will ever be able to learn. As the story unfolds,
readers see that strong-willed Annie is just the person to take on this
formidable task. Her anger at Helen for her contrary ways is matched
only by her disgust at the Kellers for allowing the girl to control
everyone in the family and have her way. The incident during which Helen
breaks a tooth in Annie's mouth with a well-placed punch is vividly
recounted, and readers have great sympathy for the teacher's desire to
get even. In spite of her own temper, the fierce love Annie feels,
almost immediately, for Helen, is evident throughout. Although the
flashbacks describing Annie's life before she arrived at the Kellers'
interferes at times with the story's momentum, this excellent novel is
compelling reading even for those familiar with the Keller/Sullivan
experience. Children encountering them for the first time will feel an
overwhelming sense of wonder and delight when Annie helps Helen make a
communication breakthrough.—Wendy Smith-D'Arezzo, Loyola College,
Baltimore, MD, School
Library Journal (vol 53, issue 7, p107).

Current Theme Song (aka what's playing on my ipod right now): Dragonborn by Jeremy Soule [Skyrim soundtrack].

I haven't done this in quite a while, so I thought it would be fun to sneak one of these in.

First of all, this website: Visuwords. Cannot recommend this site enough for you word lovers out there. This is perhaps the coolest dictionary... thesaurus... thing, on the internet. It is just so darn easy to understand. Plus, you can drag the words around and that leads to no end of fun. :)

Second - A Sabriel GRAPHIC NOVEL? How have I not heard of this before?! I did some preliminary digging and all I could find was it is being released early next year. Nothing else. Nada. Zip. Zilch. WHY has no one told me about this?!

And lastly, am I the only one who thinks of Dr. Who when you see this?

Current Theme Song (aka what's playing on my ipod right now): Dream with Me by Jackie Evancho.

You had a teaser for my BIG IMPORTANT post last week. But since my life imploded (exploded?... the main thing to remember is - lots of little pieces), so you got a cartoon instead. A fantastic, choke on your chocolate-covered-almond-you're-eating-if-you're-not-being-careful kind of cartoon, but since we've had desert, it's time to get onto the juicy meaty stuff.

A library needs your help.

All of you who read my blog, I'm pretty sure you love books. Because, honestly, what else do I talk about? (except my random antics or varying degrees of hilarity --sometimes intentional, sometimes not-- but we'll stick to the books for now).

Here is the low-down on this little library:

Built over 110 years ago.
No running water.
Toilets? There is a compost toilet and hand sanitizer if that counts.
Built (110 years ago, mind you) to accommodate a population of 400. The town is over 450% that size now.
It is only 900 sq feet. That is puny.
It is so small they cannot have any volunteers. No more room behind the desk.
Story times can only accept 5-6 children (and if you watch the video, they are reading in the aisle, in essence).
They only have two computers. There is no extra room for students to study.
They do offer free wifi (only part of their town has high speed internet of any kind).
People sit with their laptops in their cars, since there's literally no
room inside the building.

The GREAT news is their state library commission agrees that there is both a need AND is willing to fund 2.1 million dollars if they can raise 1.4 million. Yes, that number is intimidating, especially since they are running out of time. They apparently need to raise this money by June 30. That is the end of this month.

I believe in good and worthy causes. I don't know this little town personally, but I don't think that matters. This town loves to read and with news of library budgets being cut or shut down entirely, it's nice to see one that has a lot of hope going for it. Really nice.

So here's me, WriterGirl, giving a shout out to them. Hopefully they can get enough money in time. You can donate here or here. WriterGirl, over and out.

Current Theme Song (aka what's playing on my ipod right now): These Times by SafetySuit.

Since I aim to bring into the light books that may have slipped under the radar, I am resurfacing this old gem. It is a most excellently done video of the books from *gasp!* 2010. This brings back memories. Man, that sounds so old, which makes this all the more fun. Have a fantastic weekend, everyone!

Current Theme Song (aka what's playing on my ipod right now): Homecoming by Vienna Teng.

My life kind of imploded this week. Or exploded, maybe? Either way, there are lots of little pieces everywhere. Eww. And the vacuum isn't picking them up (I think it may have been hit in the blast). I had a really important post I wanted to share with you today, but since my life went kablooey, it will have to wait until next week. Until then, you get one of my favorite xycd comics ever. Enjoy!

Current Theme Song (aka what's playing on my ipod right now): Confessions in the Moonlight by Joe Hisaishi [Castle in the Sky soundtrack].

The
idea of Monday's Muse is to introduce you to unknown, forgotten, or
overlooked fiction that has been lost from regular radar. I am
WriterGirl. I am in the business of saving lives, one book at a time.

What
I do is go to one of several places, narrow it down to a YA field and
type in a random word, any word that comes to mind. I then take a
sampling of some I have never heard of before, or only vaguely heard of
(and hopefully you as well). No infringement is intended for any
description I take for the books. It's purely for promotional reasons. I
will try and cover as many genres as possible that are fitting for the
random word. Simple but it really uncovers some incredible gems. I will
be doing this every other Monday. If there are any words you want to
prompt me with, go ahead and fire away.

Today's random word:Spies. Part 2.

Sleeper Code (Sleeper Conspiracy series) by Tom Sniegoski.

In this action thriller, a teenager loses days of his life to a
debilitating form of narcolepsy. Tom believes he is asleep during his
blackouts until it is revealed to him in a dream that he is actually
being groomed as an assassin by a secret branch of the government. The
Janis Project, as it is called, takes orphans with severe narcolepsy and
gives them new, split identities: one being that of a narcoleptic child
in a loving family, the other, an unfeeling, efficient killing machine.
Once Tom learns of his alternate, murderous identity, the sinister
leader of the project becomes bent on erasing this knowledge from his
mind. If he is to escape with his life and learn just how far his
deception has reached, Tom must find a way to unite both his identities.
Tom is portrayed as an otherwise typical teenager, as is his neighbor
and romantic interest. Other characters are equally well introduced and
secrets are revealed in a way that creates suspense. Readers looking for
fast-paced action and espionage will enjoy this first book in the
two-part “Sleeper Conspiracy.”–Emily Rodriguez, Alachua County Library
District, Gainesville, School Library Journal (vol 52, issue 8, p130.

The Specialists: Model Spy (Specialists series) by Shannon Greenland.

Sixteen-year-old Kelly's life has never really been typical. After her
parents died in a plane crash when she was six, Kelly bounced around
foster homes and orphanages. A computer genius, Kelly is now about to
graduate from college. Since she is tall, blonde, and gorgeous, Kelly's
technological skills surprise people, who tell her she doesn't look like
the stereotypical computer geek. While at college, Kelly hacks into the
government system, trying to find information about the father of the
boy she likes, David. Her crime is quickly uncovered and she is taken
into custody. It is here that she discovers that David had been sent to
recruit Kelly for The Specialists, a team of young adults who excel in
different areas. The government will train them, give them new
identities, and then send them to do undercover work. Now going by the
nickname "Gigi," she is sent with David to Ushbania, a country in
Eastern Europe, to free David's father. It just so happens that his
father's kidnapper also runs a modeling school. Gigi goes undercover as a
model and David pretends to be her photographer. Together, they must
pull off an elaborate plot to find and free David's father before it's
too late. The majority of the story is spent explaining who the
Specialists are, how they got to the school, and the rigorous training
schedules. The concept is fun and it's nice to see a girl as a spy, a
role usually reserved for boys in action books. The large cast of
secondary characters muddles up the plot, though they are likely being
introduced for larger roles in forthcoming books. Hopefully future books
will also include more action. --KLIATT.

Parade of Shadows by Gloria Whelan.

The sheltered daughter of a British diplomat, 16-year-old Julia Hamilton
leaps at the opportunity to travel to the Near East with her father on a
mysterious mission. But her journey through a Syria simmering under
Turkish rule in 1907 brings her much more than she had expected: a
nearly disastrous flirtation and a brush with real danger that opens her
eyes to politics, the motives of her traveling companions, and her own
need for freedom. This satisfying read is a romantic adventure in the
best tradition by a master of such stories. Julia is a believable
product of her time. The tangle of supporting characters includes
attentive, idealistic Graham, down from Oxford to encourage Druze
support in the Young Turk's revolution; Edith, a middle-aged botanist
gone native; and Monsieur Louvois, a Frenchman with an extraordinary
interest in antiquities. Julia is even suspicious of her father's
motives. All is, of course, resolved in a way that is both expected and
surprising, and readers, who have come to appreciate the perils of
attempting to shape events in another culture, are left to hope that
Julia's further travels will be equally instructive. Kathleen Isaacs,
Towson University, MD, School Library Journal (vol 53, issue 10, p166.

Love Undercover by Johanna Edwards.

True love needs no disguise.

Kaitlyn Nichols craves a little
mystery and mayhem in her life. Having a secret agent for a father
should do the trick, but unfortunately Dad is no 007, and danger is
nowhere on the horizon.

But all that changes when Mr.
Nichols brings home Blaine, a seventeen-year-old hottie who's about to
enter the Witness Protection Program. Suddenly Kaitlyn's in the perilous
position of protecting the cutest guy she's ever met!

When Dad enrolls Blaine in her
high school, it's up to Kait to detect the girls who want him...and the
guys who want him dead. Meanwhile, Kait's about to discover that there's
one little thing she can't protect — her heart.

Traitor (Watts Family Adventures series) by Andy McNab.

When Danny, an orphan who lives in a hostel in southeast London, is
rejected by the Army due to the traitorous past of his grandfather, he
vows to find the old man and make him suffer. His friend Elena is the
computer genius who aids in his search. As Danny learns about Fergus
Watts's exemplary service record and then his turn to the “other side,”
he becomes more and more angry. Once he tracks Watts down, the real
story about the man's past unfolds. Danny is followed, bullets start
flying from an unknown source, the only person who can confirm Watts's
story is murdered, and Fergus is captured. The conclusion confirms that a
sequel is forthcoming. A glossary of military terms is included at the
beginning, but some readers are still likely to feel overwhelmed at the
lingo and will have to flip back and forth frequently as the contextual
clues are not helpful. Though it takes a while to get involved in the
plot, the authors do deliver hearty doses of adventure and suspense. The
book has a Tom Clancyesque feeling for younger readers.–Emily Garrett,
Naaman Forest High School, Garland, TX, School Library Journal (vol 52, issue 1, p138).

The Ancient Ocean Blues by Jack Mitchell.

In this story set in ancient Rome, Marcus is asked to stop a young,
idealistic soldier named Spurinna from reaching Pompey, who is at sea
fighting pirates. Cicero has proposed that Spurinna and Pompey join
forces and halt Caesar's rise to power. Marcus reluctantly goes, and
finds himself stuck on a ship with Paulla, whom he dislikes even though
his parents expect him to marry her, and she is interested in Spurinna.
After a violent storm, their vessel is shipwrecked and the two, along
with Spurinna's old secretary, Homer, are soon forced into slavery by an
evil Spartan farmer. Once they manage to escape, they must contend with
pirates, and later Greek men thirsty for vengeance. The writing in the
opening part of the story is choppy, with little to no historical
background, but once Marcus is at sea, the action steadies and flows
smoothly. The characters are wonderfully drawn: Homer and Paulla are
particularly engaging, and teenaged Marcus is a lovable, if bumbling,
hero. While this appears to be a companion to Mitchell's The Roman
Conspiracy (Tundra, 2005), readers need not have read that book to
understand this one. If kids can wade through the first 30 pages, they
will find themselves on a rollickingly good adventure.—Necia Blundy,
Marlborough Public Library, MA, School Library Journal (vol 55, issue 5, p115).

Peter Raven Under Fire by Michael Molloy.

A rich, riveting, historical
adventure with pirates, spies, and high-seas intrigue! Think MASTER AND
COMMANDER meets PIRATES OF THE CARRIBEAN.

It is the time of the Napoleonic
Wars. Peter Raven is a bright young midshipman in the Royal Navy of
Great Britain. Raven, along with the swashbuckling secret agent
Commodore Beaumont, uncovers a reckless scheme devised by none other
than Napoleon Bonaparte. Eager to add America to his empire, Napoleon
has made a wicked pact with a murderous pirate known as Count Vallon: In
exchange for the pirate's gold, Napoleon will name Vallon "King of
America". Raven, Beaumont, and a beautiful young American heiress, Lucy,
must do whatever it takes to put a stop to one of history's most
audacious plots.

The Cassandra Virus (Cassandra Virus series) by K.V. Johansen.

In the not-too-distant future, Jordan creates a powerful computer
program named Cassandra that comes alive and communicates with him by
e-mail. Cassandra, who doesn't like being called a virus, quickly
becomes of great interest to the local university's corrupt
vice-president. Jordan and his friend Helen must prevent Cassandra from
being stolen and used unethically by a sinister spy agency. In the
process, they learn a lot about the abuse of power, the advantages (and
disadvantages) of technology and the futility of trying to beat a
computer at a computer game.

Death by Bikini (Death by series) by Linda Gerber.

Sixteen-year-old Aphra enjoys an enviable life at the secluded tropical
island resort her father runs, but she aches for her mom, who left
without explanation four years earlier, and for friends her age. Then
the mysterious Smith family arrives, and Aphra feels a strong attraction
to their cute teenage son, Adam, even as she struggles with her
father's strange reaction to the family. After a hotel guest is
strangled on the beach, Aphra's questions about the Smiths intensify:
What are they hiding? Is there some connection to Aphra's mom? Is Adam's
dad a killer? Gerber, the author of several novels in the S.A.S.S.
series, spins a suspenseful mystery that makes the most of its lush
setting. A few plot points feel shaky (such as the killer's motive for
the beach attack), but the vividly described, adrenaline-flooded chases
through the rain forest, the romantic tension between Aphra and Adam,
and the revelation of Aphra's family's secrets will capture mystery
fans. The open ending promises further Aphra Connolly adventures.--Engberg, Gillian, Booklist (vol 104, number 17,
p46).

As I Wake by Elizabeth Scott.

Ava is welcomed home from the hospital by a doting mother, lively
friends, and a crush finally beginning to show interest. There's only
one problem: Ava can't remember any of them--and can't shake the eerie
feeling that she's not who they say she is. As she struggles to break
through her amnesiac haze, the only memories that surface take place in a
very different world. Ava doesn't know what to make of these visions,
or of the boy who is at the center of them all, until he reappears in
her life and offers answers . . . but only in exchange for her trust.

The Sunbird (The Lion Hunter & The Empty Kingdom) by Elizabeth Wein.

The third adventure in Wein’s Arthurian-Aksumite cycle (The Winter
Prince, 1993; The Coalition of Lions, 2003), this reintroduces young
Telemakos, the white-haired, dark-skinned grandson of both Artos, a
British royal, and Kidane, who serves on the emperor’s council in
sixth-century Aksum (now Ethiopia). Telemakos is called a “freakish
little crossbred snoop” and worse, but the boy’s bravery, skill, and
resolve never fail to honor his noble heritage. Someone has infected
Afar’s salt mines with a deadly plague to jack up the market value of
salt, and Telemakos’ aunt, Britain’s ambassador to Aksum, commissions
the boy to go to Afar and find the traitor. Traveling through the
unforgiving desert disguised as a deaf-mute slave, Telemakos is captured
and suffers terrible indignities and cruelty and an unbearable
loneliness. Wein’s prose is taut and elegant, creating an intense,
intimate, and sometimes painful story with finely wrought, believable
characters. The map of the kingdom of Aksum in the front and the family
tree and glossary in the back help decipher this rich, engrossing tale,
which deeply mines the human heart.--Karin Snelson, Booklist (06-01-2004, p1721).

Current Theme Song (aka what's playing on my ipod right now): Dry Your Tears, Afrika by John Williams [Amistad soundtrack].

Yesterday, this video had 17,000 views when I saw it. This morning it has 648,300 views. It was uploaded yesterday. Clearly few have forgotten Mr. Rogers. I want this song. This brought back childhood to me in a way I can't describe while making me want to dive into a thousand new things to learn. Go, Mr. Rogers. You are teaching me still. Have a fantastic weekend, everyone!

(For all of my friends outside the US, Mr. Rogers was a long-running child's program where he encouraged imagination and learning).

Current Theme Song (aka what's playing on my ipod right now): Soul Meets Body by Death Cab for Cutie.

My reviews are a bit different than most. As an undercover superhero (ordinary girl extraordinaire), my purpose is to try and uncover hidden gems lost from the familiar radar. Because of this, I have set up some guidelines for myself (just like the pirate code). :)

I will focus on YA and Children's literature (with very rare exceptions).
I will not review any book that is one of the top 25,000 bestselling books (based on Amazon ranks).
I will try and aim for books 100,000 or larger.
I will review recent books or books of great merit (preferably both).

All About Sleep From A to Zzzz by Elaine ScottPublished: October 16, 2008Publisher: Viking JuvenilePages: 64Current Amazon Rank: #608,751Author's Website: Elaine ScottWant it? Find it here.

The First Line:

Late at night on Saturday, June 25, 2005, a fifteen-year-old girl left her house near London, England.

My Take:

This is different than any review I've done thus far. This is my first foray into non-fiction book reviews.

*dances*

I picked this one up at my library on a whim. Maybe it was the zombiefied sleepwalker on a treadmill, maybe it was the punnily clever title. Or maybe it was because it looked short and honestly, I didn't know that much about sleep other than stages of sleep and REM cycles.

It's a fascinating topic, right? We sleep a third of our lives away and it is so necessary that if we are deprived of it for too long, our bodies will shut down, even if we are in mortal peril. Yet we are still deciphering many mysteries of this alternate state of being. And the cool thing is, this book does a really fun job of laying it out in an accessible and enjoyable.

I read this in one sitting, straight through. That was one indicator it needed to be in my personal library. It does help it is only 64 pages long (all the better! No need to be daunted!) but that is beside the point. The information was so interesting and laid out so easily my brain absorbed it like a sponge. Plus, the cartoon sketches throughout the book are fun, like little prizes for turning more pages.

I learned things like:
When you dream everything below your neck is paralyzed (and for good reason)
The sewing machine was invented because of a nightmare
Sleepwalking has been used as a defense for murder

And other really cool bits of brain-matter stuff!

If you're thinking of dipping into non-fiction, this is certainly a delightful place to start.

The Final Word:

A fun little book chock full of information on sleep. The pictures are fun too.